Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm quite happy to rise in this place to defend the government's award of funding under the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages, or RJIP. I said once before in this place that if my good friends opposite refer to a document, always get the original document and read what the document says. Let me give you some of the recommendations and findings from the Auditor-General's report in relation to RJIP. Recommendation 6 says:

In total, 233 projects were awarded $220.5 million in grant funding across the 10 regions. The grants represent 32 per cent of the estimated total project costs of $688.3 million.

That's the first point I want to make: that $220.5 million of grant funding leveraged $688.3 million in total expenditure. That is a good outcome. That is, in fact, a better outcome than what was predicted in the original policy announcement made in 2016 by the then Liberal and National parties that this would leverage only on a one-to-one basis. It was only expected to leverage an extra $220 million, but in fact the total expenditure was $688.3 million. So this project has in fact been extremely successful. But you wouldn't know it, listening to those members opposite.

Another finding from the Auditor-General's report—which of course has not been referred to by those opposite; it will be very interesting to see if it's referred to by those opposite who may speak after me—was:

There was no bias clearly evident in the assessment and decision-making processes.

I'll say it again:

There was no bias clearly evident in the assessment and decision-making processes. Decisions to not approve recommended applications occurred in two Queensland regions—

my home state of Queensland—

at a rate more than three times the average across the other eight regions; these decisions affected five electorates each of which was held by the Coalition.

But you wouldn't know that from listening to those opposite.

And one of those projects—if I can refer to one of the great projects that received support under that project funding—was the construction of an aged-care facility in Mossman. The Salvation Army has just entered into a construction contract for the construction of that facility, and let me tell you that the mayor up in Mossman is absolutely delighted. Mayor Leu said the start of construction was a 'huge moment'. She said:

We are absolutely thrilled that this day has come.

The Mossman Aged Care Centre has been a high priority project that the community has been striving to get for more than 23 years.

That project is going to be delivered, in part, under regional funding provided under this program. As a senator for Queensland I say that's a success.

As for Senator Green drawing comparisons between the good people of Leichhardt and the good people of Kennedy, let me say that only a few months ago I attended the opening of an extra wing of a beautiful aged-care facility in the lovely town of Tully, in the seat of Kennedy. That was, in part, funded by Commonwealth government funding—even though it's in the federal seat of Kennedy. Even though it's in the federal seat of Kennedy it was funded by the Commonwealth government.